Dear members and representatives,
We want to thank you all for the enormous effort you have put in and continue to put in. None of us have been idle since the national meeting closed its doors last November, and we have achieved a lot this year.
FO acknowledges the storms you are facing, and we see the important work each one of you does. You are there for those who need it most – when they need you the most. You stand up for security every day – year-round.
We will ensure that you receive better pay and working conditions, that you feel safe at work and can ensure each other’s safety. Our job is to ensure that you get the frameworks you need, and we work both in terms of collective bargaining politics, social politics, and professional politics to achieve this.
As we approach the year’s end, we are close to 37,000 members. FO has experienced a remarkable membership growth, both before last year’s national meeting and now in the time after. We do not achieve membership growth without trust, and trust obliges us all to do an even better job. This applies at all levels of the organization, from the club level all the way up to the national board.
The Bargaining Year 2024
2024 has presented, shall we say, an interesting wage settlement. The municipal settlement and the settlement for the church sector yielded good results. The state settlement ended with a wage tribunal, still with contract splitting and renewed struggle heading into 2026. The Spekter area is shifting from LO Stat to LO. The NHO negotiations led to strikes for employees in asylum reception centers, child welfare institutions, social services, housing and care services, and mental health and addiction services in private businesses.
At the same time, we find ourselves in a challenging situation after the breakdown in the IA negotiations. Due to a serious breach of trust, LO and the unions, including FO, have broken various cooperations with NHO, Virke, Spekter, and KS. In the negotiations, they teamed up with other employee organizations and negotiated a compromise that put the sick pay scheme at risk. It is striking and quite thought-provoking that we are the only ones advocating that workers should receive full pay during illness.
These challenges will undoubtedly shape the negotiations for next year. Fortunately, we have a long history of overcoming significant challenges together, and we will manage this in the years to come.
2025 Will Be the Year of Social Policy
We live in a time of destiny where many feel a sense of insecurity. Our society is marked by international conflicts, a pressured economic situation, and increasing disparities among people. Norway needs a comprehensive social policy for a new generation. Therefore, FO invited three of Norway’s former ministers of social affairs to talk about the development of social policy and its role in the future.
This was the background for FO launching our compass for a new social policy at last year’s national meeting. The compass has been a useful tool for elevating social policy issues and has been used extensively in meetings with both ministers and members of parliament throughout the year. We encourage representatives and members to use the compass in meetings with local politicians and in the upcoming election campaign.
The parliamentary election will, in many ways, be a choice of values. The governing parties are struggling, while the right-wing coalition is gaining momentum. Although FO is politically independent, we are not politically neutral. Our goal is to get social workers to use their voice and elevate their most important issues higher on the agenda.
We will stand up for security by advocating for a safe working life, a secure upbringing, and a welfare state that safeguards everyone.
Social Work is International
FO is part of the world and often looks outward. For while we in Norway can celebrate Christmas as we have done many times before, war and unrest rage in both Europe, multiple African regions, and the Middle East. In Bethlehem, Christmas celebrations have been canceled for the second time in two years.
This fall, FO will host the European Social Work Conference, inviting social workers from all over Europe to Oslo. We do this to highlight the work social workers do worldwide, to build relationships with colleagues abroad, and to elevate the status of social work here at home. Additionally, we are involved in exciting solidarity projects in Guatemala, Tanzania, and Palestine.
Thank You for Your Efforts
As Christmas approaches, many can treat themselves to some well-deserved days off. To you, we wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. At the same time, many social workers are on shifts and are dedicated to the community both early and late through the holiday season. To you, we extend a special thanks. Thank you for keeping society running. Thank you for standing up for those who need it most.
Merry Christmas, greetings from Marianne, Lisbeth, Ole, Ina, and Marit
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